Malaysian Grand Prix facts and figures

Facts and figures for Sunday's Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix.

Circuit: Sepang, 5.543 km, race to be held over 56 laps. Total 310.408 km.

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GMT start time: 0700

2004 pole position: Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari one minute 33.074 seconds.

Race lap record: Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) Williams 1:34.223 (2004).

Records of leading drivers in Malaysia:

2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999

Michael Schumacher 1 6 3 1 1 2

Rubens Barrichello 4 2 R 2 3 5

Jenson Button 3 7 4 11 R -

Fernando Alonso 7 3 - 13 - -

Juan Pablo Montoya 2 12 2 R - -

Jarno Trulli 5 5 R 8 12 R

Kimi Raikkonen R 1 R R - -

Takuma Sato 15 - 9 - - -

Ralf Schumacher R 4 1 5 R R

David Coulthard 6 R R 3 2 R

Giancarlo Fisichella 11 R 13 R 9 11

Felipe Massa 8 - 6 - - -

Mark Webber R R R - - -

Christian Klien 10 - - - - -

Nick Heidfeld R 8 5 R R -

Jacques Villeneuve - R 8 R 5 R

Resume of races in Malaysia:

2004 - Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari

Schumacher started on pole and cantered to his second win in a row ahead of Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya. Briton Jenson Button came third for the first podium of his career. Australian Mark Webber made his first front row start for Jaguar and was ninth at the end of the first lap.

2003 - Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) McLaren

Raikkonen took the first win of his Formula One career, beating Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello by 39 seconds. Renault's Fernando Alonso started on pole, the youngest driver to do so, and finished third. Michael Schumacher nudged the rear of Italian Jarno Trulli's Renault at the second corner and picked up a drive-through penalty.

2002 - Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams

Ralf led Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya in a Williams one-two, Montoya recovering after colliding with Ferrari's Michael Schumacher at the first corner. The older Schumacher started on pole and finished third after fighting back from last.

2001 - Michael Schumacher, Ferrari

Schumacher led Barrichello to a one-two finish in a rain-drenched race. Eight of the 22 cars failed to finish in the slippery conditions. The first start was aborted in bizarre circumstances when Italian Giancarlo Fisichella took the wrong slot on the grid.

2000 - Michael Schumacher, Ferrari.

Ferrari added the constructors' title to their first Formula One drivers' crown in 21 years. The entire Ferrari team donned scarlet wigs in the pitlane in victory celebrations.

Circuit details:

Laid out by German circuit designer Hermann Tilke, Sepang is one of the most elegant tracks with a flowing grandstand roof built to resemble a hibiscus flower.

The track, built near Kuala Lumpur's international airport, has a gentle uphill start with 15 turns and parallel straights, the Kuala Lumpur pit straight and Penang back straight.

High humidity, plus a climate that can change rapidly from sun to rain, makes this a strength-sapping race.

Driver's View

"Sepang is a circuit which shows if a car is good or not," says Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella.

"The long, fast corners mean you need a very stable rear end, and a consistent car balance so that you know the car's reactions through the quick sections. There are some corners where the drivers can really make the difference as well.

"With the hot temperatures, tyre performance will be an important factor."